The remains of a burning Tesla Cybertruck are inspected at the entrance to Trump Tower on January 1, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo credit: Reuters

At least one person was killed and seven injured when a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside a hotel owned by US President-elect Donald Trump in Las Vegas, police said on Wednesday (Jan 1, 2025).

US President Joe Biden said authorities were investigating any links between the Las Vegas blast and the attack in New Orleans early Wednesday. The truck plowed into a crowd of New Year’s revelers.at least 15 dead.

However, Mr. Biden cautioned that no such links have yet been found. The FBI and local law enforcement agencies said they believed the Tesla explosion was an isolated incident.

Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahal told reporters that the electric vehicle pulled up to the glass entrance of the Trump International Hotel before a “big bang.”

Video footage showed a stainless steel truck parked at the entrance of the hotel followed by small explosions that appeared to be fireworks before the fire broke out.

Mr McMahal said there was “one deceased person” inside the cyber truck, while seven people suffered “minor” injuries. He said that the hotel has been evacuated.

He later told a news conference that there were gasoline and camping fuel canisters in the back of the truck, as well as “large firework mortars.”

Mr. McMahal also said that it was a cybertruck that “really limited the damage … because most of the blast went through the truck and out,” noting that the hotel’s glass doors, a few At a distance of Ft. , “were not even broken by that blast.”

Mr. Biden said authorities were “investigating any possible connection to the attack in New Orleans.”

“As yet, there is nothing to report on that score,” he said.

FBI agent Jeremy Schwartz called the Las Vegas bombing “an isolated incident.”

“We don’t believe there’s a group of people out there who are supporting him or helping him,” Mr. Schwartz said.

Tesla chief Elon Musk said the explosion was caused by “massive fireworks and/or a bomb planted in the bed of a rental cybertruck”, adding in a post on his social media platform X that his “Nothing to do with the car itself.”

Mr Musk said earlier “the entire senior team at Tesla” was investigating the explosion, adding: “We’ve never seen anything like this.”

Police say they are still working to determine the cause of the blast. US media incl NBC And CBSreported that authorities are investigating it as a possible terrorist attack, citing unnamed sources.

Musk-Trump ‘concern’

Police said the truck was rented by Toro, a car-sharing company in Colorado.

Mr. Biden said there were indications that the suspect in the New Orleans attack was inspired by the Islamic State group.

Mr McMahal said he still had “no indication” that the Las Vegas blast had any similar link to the jihadist group.

However, he added: “This is a Tesla truck, and we know Elon Musk is working with President-elect Trump, and this is Trump Tower.”

“So there are obviously things of concern and it’s something we continue to look at,” Mr McMeel said.

Mr. Musk, who supported Trump in November’s election and was nominated by Republicans to head a commission to cut government spending, said he would “learn something as soon as we learn more.” Will post.